Figure 1.--This child is wearing what might be called an A-line dress. Perhaps readers with more knowledge of dress styles can provide a more definitive assessment. The child seems to be wearing both frilly patticoats and plainer pantalettes with the dress. I'm not sure if there are any gender associated with the dress. A reader writes, "I wonder if the buttons down the front were a boy's style for dresses." The Paris portrait is comtempory with the De Lesseps' children so it may be a boy. This guess is based on the gender of the doll and on how the child is posed. It was very rare for girls to have boy dolls. We have also noticed that standing poses with crossed legs is a very common pose for boys.

HBC does not yet know if special dresses were made for boys as was the case in America. We notice boys wearing dresses with short sleeves. Notice the portrait here of the Delesseps children (figure 1). HBC does not yet have access to 19th century French fashion ads which would indicate how children's clothes were advertized. The French images of boys wearing dresses so far look to us like dresses that girls might have worn. We note, for example, families with the boys and gils wearing the same dress styles. The Delesseps family is a case in point. We have not yet noted boys wearing dresses with specific boys' styling. The difficulty in identifying the gender in old photographs, especially wearing dresses complicates our ability to assess the styles of dresses worn by boys. The Paris portrait is comtempory with the De Lesseps' children so it may be a boy. This guess is based on the gender of the doll and on how the child is posed. I have noticed that standing poses with crossed legs is a very common pose for boys. Note that the child under the dress is wearing both a shift and pantalettes. I'm nor sure if there are any gender assoiciated with the dress.

Gender Conventions

HBC does not yet know if special dresses were made for boys as was the case in America. HBC does not yet have access to 19th century French fashion ads which would indicate how children's clothes were advertized. We note, for example, families with the boys and gils wearing the same dress styles. The Delesseps family is a case in point. We have not yet noted boys wearing dresses with specific boys' styling. The difficulty in identifying the gender in old photographs, especially wearing dresses complicates our ability to assess the styles of dresses worn by boys. The Paris portrait here is comtempory with the De Lesseps' children so it may be a boy. This guess is based on the gender of the doll and on how the child is posed. I have noticed that standing poses with crossed legs is a very common pose for boys. The French images of boys wearing dresses we have found so far look to us like dresses that girls might have worn. Note that the child under the dress is wearing both a shift and pantalettes. I'm nor sure if there are any gender assoiciated with the dress.

Style Elements

There are several important stlistic elements to a dress. One of the most important element is the neckline/collar. Boys generally had collars, although collar shirts in the 21st century have rather decloned in popularity. Children in the 19th century, especially younger children commonly wore dresses without collars and low necklies. Age was a factor with this. The dress here had no collar and is open although high (figure 1). Younger children mightb have lower necklines. There seems to be a very small frill at the neclkine/collar. Another important stylistic elenment was the waistline, We notice wide variations, including above, at, and below the natural waitine. The two major segments of the dress were the bodice and skirt. There were a range of other stylistic elements such as sleeves, including the shoulder treatment. We notice boys wearing dresses with short sleeves. Notice the portrait of the Delesseps children. Buttoning is another stylistic elements. The dress here has a long row of front buttons, although not accented with color (figure 1). We are not sure if they were functionl or purely decorative. Generally girls dresses had back buttons. That seems a huge complications for girls. We can't imagine boys having to deal with such nom-sensical compications.

Specific Styles

We see boys wearing a range of dress styles. We note high-waisted empire dresses in the early-19th centuty and low waisted dresses in the late-19th century. We also notice dresses without defined waistlines or only a hint of a waistline. There were also A-line dresses. And after the mid-19th century we see sailor styled dresses. Sailor styles were very popular in France. Our French archive is still reklatively limited so we are just beginning to archive examples of different dress styles.

Created: 5:08 AM 7/8/2004
Last updated: 8:19 AM 8/14/2024